Mike Beers, left, with roping partner and son, Brandon Beers, set an arena record in team roping at the Sisters Rodeo in June. Mike Beers was leading the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings for team ropers (heelers) until a horseback riding accident sidelined the former world champion late last month.

REDMOND — During his 28-year career as a professional cowboy, Mike Beers has never been sidelined because of an injury for more than a long weekend. He sliced off the end of a thumb with a rope once, and that kept him out of the saddle for three days. A broken collarbone forced him to lay down the lasso for four days, he recalls.

Even when he has taken a vacation, he has never been away from the rodeo arena for more than two weeks.

That is, until now.

The 49-year-old former world champion team roper from Central Oregon was involved in a freak horseback-riding accident at a friend’s Culver ranch late last month, a spill that resulted in extensive injuries to Beers’ shoulder and pelvis. Even worse, the accident has threatened to crush a Cinderella season for Beers and his roping partner and son, Brandon.

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Mike Beers grew up in Oregon in the tiny Columbia River town of Rufus. He was the 1977 Oregon High School Rodeo Association team-roping champion, and the following year he earned the team -roping title at the College National Finals Rodeo. In 1980, Beers joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and went on to become a 23-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier, competing in tie-down roping and steer roping, as well as team roping.

Beers was crowned the PRCA world champion heeler in team roping in 1984. Shortly thereafter he settled with his now former wife, Bonnie, in Powell Butte, where they raised their two sons, Brandon and Joe.

Three years ago, Beers decided to retire from life as a professional cowboy. He teaches 60 to 70 roping schools a year, both in Cave Creek, Ariz. — where he now lives in the winter — and at roping clinics held throughout the country. Beers still calls Central Oregon home, and he owns a ranch in Post, which often serves as home base during the summer.

When the 2007 rodeo season began, Beers’ eldest son Brandon, 21, a header, needed a heeling partner, and father agreed to rope with son through the winter. Brandon was already an accomplished cowboy (a three-time Oregon High School Rodeo team-roping champion and the 2005 PRCA Rookie of the Year in team roping), but he struggled to earn a paycheck in his sophomore season. The year that unfolded before them was one that Mike Beers had only dreamed about.

“It feels like you want to pinch yourself,” says Beers, “to see if it’s real.”

The dream season for Team Beers, as Mike and Brandon are affectionately known by their family and friends, began in March at the famous RodeoHouston. There, the pair won the overall title and catapulted to the top of the PRCA team-roping standings by earning a payout of $25,000 apiece. Already on a fast track to the NFR, the Beerses went on to set 11 arena records this year, including a new fast mark in June at the Sisters Rodeo and another just three weekends ago at the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo in Joseph. In doing so, they continued to add to their winnings and maintained their leader’s advantage in the world standings.

During his first run at a world championship in 1984, Beers was 26. He remembers feeling like he was in a whirlwind, it all happened so fast.

“I’ve enjoyed the success this year,” he reflects. “I’ve got to simmer in it.”

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On July 25, Beers was taking an 11-year-old roping horse through its paces for a potential buyer at the Culver ranch of professional bareback rider Bobby Mote. The horse had been ridden by Mote’s 4-year-old, and Beers says he had previously roped 50 or so head of cattle on the horse.

But on this run, the horse inexplicably dropped its head and kicked its back legs, causing Beers to hit the left side of his pelvis on the saddle horn. The horse bucked again and shot Beers out of the saddle and on over the top of horse’s head.

Not wanting to injure his prized right roping hand, Beers had the presence of mind to roll to his left as he landed, which damaged his left shoulder and left shoulder blade.

“I’m OK, I just lost my wind,” was Beers’ first reaction while gathering himself up off the arena floor. But after standing up, “I knew I was hurt inside somewhere.”

Beers was taken to the hospital in Redmond and then to St. Charles Medical Center–Bend, where he underwent surgery to repair a shoulder blade that he said was broken in half, and a cracked shoulder joint. A plate was screwed to the front of his pelvis to repair that break.

“It looked like I had a C-section,” says Beers, jovial and good-natured despite sitting in a wheelchair at the Redmond home of a friend.

“There was a pretty good incision across there,” he adds, pointing to his lower midsection.

To make matters worse, Beers contracted pneumonia during his week at the hospital.

He had planned to rope with his son the afternoon of the accident.

“He (Brandon) was at the hospital,” recalls Mike Beers. “Mainly in shock, in disbelief.

“Here’s our lifetime dream come true,” he continues, “and all of a sudden, a bump in the road.”

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Beers says the prognosis for his recovery is good, and he is optimistic. He adds that his doctors tell him he should be walking in time to watch Brandon rope with temporary partner Jade Corkill of Nevada at the Pendleton Round-Up in September. If all goes as planned, Beers should be on horseback by Nov. 1. He hopes to be back in the roping chute with his son for the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in December.

“I plan on having the best finals of my life,” he assures.

And a “bump in the road” is as negative as Beers chooses to get in describing his recent fall and resulting injuries. Any sad thoughts about the season that could have been, “I blow them out,” he says.

“It happened,” he says. “I’ll go on and not give it a second thought.

“I’ve had lots of calls, lots of support from friends and family, and that’s helped a lot.”

In the meantime, Beers continues to support his son’s journey to a possible 2007 world title. They talk daily by phone, and Mike is eager to give Brandon plenty of advice.

As of Monday, Mike Beers remained the leader in the PRCA world standings for team ropers (heelers). With already $75,945 in earnings for 2007, Beers has an advantage of nearly $10,000 over the current second-place team roper, Dean Tuftin of Prineville. With big-money rodeos on the horizon, however, that advantage is likely to be eclipsed by several ropers before the Oct. 1 NFR qualifying deadline.

With the money he’s earned thus far in the season, Beers has a virtual lock on an entry to the National Finals in December. Should he recover as anticipated, he expects to enter the 10-day Las Vegas rodeo in fourth or fifth place.

Beers says he is determined to be back in the saddle roping with his son at the December finals. He says he is also cheered by the flood of well-wishers who have posted get-well greetings, humorous anecdotes, and the promise of prayers on Beers’ Web site, www.mikebeers.com.

He says he intends to strictly follow his doctor’s orders on the road to recovery.

“My goal is the National Finals,” insists Beers, “something I didn’t think I’d get to do again. That’s what’s going to keep me straight as a string for the next four months.”

“It’s been tough,” he adds, “but there’s so much riding on this, I can’t take any chances.”